© by Gerald So | 5:00 AM
Dec. 23: My mother came home from thirteen days of rehab yesterday. She was prescribed an oxygen concentrator, tanks, and a wheelchair. She tells me, even without oxygen, she's breathing much easier than when she went to the emergency room three weeks ago.
My brother tested negative for COVID this afternoon. I tested negative yesterday. Many thanks to my immune system. Looks like my extended family will celebrate Christmas and New Year's individually, but again I'm most grateful my mom and brother are recovering.
Dec. 18: On top of my mother's pneumonia diagnosis December 1, my older brother home-tested positive for COVID last Tuesday. I haven't gotten in the Christmas spirit, but I'm reminded the calendar doesn't matter; I'll celebrate when they recover. All the best to you and yours.
Sunday, December 18, 2022
Tuesday, December 06, 2022
The Road to Recovery
© by Gerald So | Permanent Link
Dec. 9, 6:00 PM My brother, aunt, and I visited Mom at the Harborside. It's too early to tell how long she'll be there, but she's definitely getting necessary, better care than she would at home. That said, I still hope she gets home sooner than later.
Dec. 8, 6:00 PM During our visit this afternoon, the attending doctor signed the order discharging my mother to subacute rehab at The Harborside in Port Washington. According to Medicare nursing home comparisons, it has excellent ratings for short stays, hopefully just what Mom needs.
Dec. 8, 4:30 AM: My mother hasn't been discharged just yet. Apparently she doesn't breathe well enough without an oxygen machine to go home or to a rehab facility. I don't know how soon this will improve, but I didn't expect the talk of discharge two days ago, either.
Dec. 6, 1:00 PM: St. Francis Hospital is making arrangements for my mother's continuing care once she's discharged, which could happen any day now. Yesterday my brother and I had to quickly choose five possible subacute rehab facilities for her. If she needs rehab, she'll be sent to the one with the first available bed. Medicare will fully cover up to twenty days at the facility and partially cover up to 100 days.
There's still the possibility she does well enough in today's and tomorrow's physical therapy that she doesn't need rehab. In favor of her coming right home, my brother and I live with her and work from home. I have my hopes, but I don't want to be disappointed. Best to take what happens as it happens. Positive thoughts welcome.
Dec. 9, 6:00 PM My brother, aunt, and I visited Mom at the Harborside. It's too early to tell how long she'll be there, but she's definitely getting necessary, better care than she would at home. That said, I still hope she gets home sooner than later.
Dec. 8, 6:00 PM During our visit this afternoon, the attending doctor signed the order discharging my mother to subacute rehab at The Harborside in Port Washington. According to Medicare nursing home comparisons, it has excellent ratings for short stays, hopefully just what Mom needs.
Dec. 8, 4:30 AM: My mother hasn't been discharged just yet. Apparently she doesn't breathe well enough without an oxygen machine to go home or to a rehab facility. I don't know how soon this will improve, but I didn't expect the talk of discharge two days ago, either.
Dec. 6, 1:00 PM: St. Francis Hospital is making arrangements for my mother's continuing care once she's discharged, which could happen any day now. Yesterday my brother and I had to quickly choose five possible subacute rehab facilities for her. If she needs rehab, she'll be sent to the one with the first available bed. Medicare will fully cover up to twenty days at the facility and partially cover up to 100 days.
There's still the possibility she does well enough in today's and tomorrow's physical therapy that she doesn't need rehab. In favor of her coming right home, my brother and I live with her and work from home. I have my hopes, but I don't want to be disappointed. Best to take what happens as it happens. Positive thoughts welcome.
Sunday, December 04, 2022
All I Want for Christmas
© by Gerald So | 4:00 AM
About this time last week, my 89-year-old mother, a retired pediatric surgeon, developed shortness of breath, much like she had nine months ago. Unlike then, as the week progressed, she grew more certain she should see a pulmonologist. One she had seen in 1997 was booked through February 2023, so on Thursday she decided to go to the emergency room at St. Francis Hospital, Roslyn. I checked her in and stayed as tests confirmed she had bilateral pneumonia with complicated pleural effusion. She was put on two IV antibiotics and a BPAP machine to help her breathe.
Visiting yesterday, I saw she was off the BPAP. Her ER nurse said she was doing well without it. A cardiologist and pulmonologist had seen her two hours before my visit, saying no surgery was necessary; her heart was good—jibing with her October 26 checkup—and the antibiotics would be sufficient to clear her lungs. She nentioned a nephrologist wanted to discuss an issue and she had given him my older brother's mobile number, but as of last night he hadn't called.
When my brother and I visited last night, she had been moved to a regular room, eaten lunch and dinner, and was relieved to know the root of her ailments.
I'm just glad her instinct was right this time. Relatives from New Jersey will visit her today. Here's hoping she continues to recover and is home for Christmas.
About this time last week, my 89-year-old mother, a retired pediatric surgeon, developed shortness of breath, much like she had nine months ago. Unlike then, as the week progressed, she grew more certain she should see a pulmonologist. One she had seen in 1997 was booked through February 2023, so on Thursday she decided to go to the emergency room at St. Francis Hospital, Roslyn. I checked her in and stayed as tests confirmed she had bilateral pneumonia with complicated pleural effusion. She was put on two IV antibiotics and a BPAP machine to help her breathe.
Visiting yesterday, I saw she was off the BPAP. Her ER nurse said she was doing well without it. A cardiologist and pulmonologist had seen her two hours before my visit, saying no surgery was necessary; her heart was good—jibing with her October 26 checkup—and the antibiotics would be sufficient to clear her lungs. She nentioned a nephrologist wanted to discuss an issue and she had given him my older brother's mobile number, but as of last night he hadn't called.
When my brother and I visited last night, she had been moved to a regular room, eaten lunch and dinner, and was relieved to know the root of her ailments.
I'm just glad her instinct was right this time. Relatives from New Jersey will visit her today. Here's hoping she continues to recover and is home for Christmas.
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